Improvement in automatic switch or cut-out for telephones



Win

T. A. WATSON.

Automatic Switch or Gut-Out for' rI'elep-hones` ESEES.

Patented Nov.,5. 1878 n.PErERs. Puomun-loampnaa. wAsHmm'oN. D c'.

UNITED Terras Parar THOMAS A. WATSON, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GARDINER G. HUBBARD, TRUSTEE OF THE'BELL TELEPHONE OOM- PANY, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN AUTOMATIC SWITCH 0R CUT-OUT FOR TELEPHONES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 209,592, dated November 5, 1878; application iiled September 17, 1877.

To all whom it 'may concern:

Be it known that I, THOMAS A. WATSON, of Boston, in the county of Suffolk and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Switch or Cut-Out Mechanism for Telephones, of which the following is a speciication:

It is customary in connection with telephones to employ a switch, which may be changed in position to direct the circuit through the telephone, or through an electric or magneto-electric bell, to attract attention.

In this present invention the switch is rendered automatic in its operation, it remaining,V

when the telephone is not lifted for use, in contact with a screw or metallic point connected in circuit with the bell and ground, and when in use' remaining` in contact with another screw or metallic point in circuit with the telephone.

' Figure 1 represents in side elevation, in full lines, one form of my switch mechanism exemplifying this invention, the telephone being supposed to be in use, and in such figure the dotted lines show the telephone supported and` not in use. Fig. 2 represents, in front view, the apparatus shown in Fig. l, with the telephone not in use. Fig. 3 shows, in diagram, the apparatus in a station when used as a switch; Fig. 4, a diagram when used as a cut-out.

The board a, upon which the switch mechanism is attached, may be of any proper shape or size. The telephone-sustainer is, in this instance of the invention, made ask a lever, b, with arms c and a spring, d. This lever is supported by the ends of screws c, provided with concaved seats to receive the points of a shaft, f, extended through the lever. Back of the lever isl a spring, g, to press the metallic cireuitclosing portion 1 -preferably a spring-against the screw or point h, connected by a suitable wire, as at fi, with the screw-cup j, with which is also connected a wire, which extends to one of the screw-cups, 2, of the telephone.

The lever b is, by the wire l, connected with the line-wire. Vhen the weight of the telephone is removed from the lever, or when the telephone is taken up for use, this lever is simultaneously operated to move the portion d in contact with the screw h, which places the telephone in circuit with the line-wire.

The screw-cup 3 of the telephone is connected by a wire with the ground or the wire leading to the next station. Screw-cup m is connected with screw o, and is also connected through a bell with the-ground or with the .wire

In the diagram, Fig. 3,1' represents the bell, p

s its hammer, and tanelectro-magnet, there being employed with the bell a suitable voltaic battery or other generator of electricity.

To employ this apparatus as a cut-out, the wires will be arranged as shown in diagram, Fig. 4, wherein the line-wire is represented by the letter l. When the telephone is laid aside the portion d will rest against screw o,- thereby taking the resistance of the telephone out of the line.

By this invention it is obvious that the mere act of taking up the telephone for use and the replacing or dropping it after use automatically changes the switch to place either the telephone or bell in circuit, or operate the circuit-closing portion to place. the telephone in circuit or cut it out of the circuit.

Having thus described my invention, I would observe I do not claim to be the first and original inventor of the automatic switchchanger operated by the transfer of the weight of the telephone. In this I believe tofhave been anticipated by H. L. Roosevelt; but

A telephone-holder consisting of the cointinten.'

bination of a yoke 011 the end of a lever of the irst order, made to tilt by the removal of the telephone, with two stationary points, the one making circuit-connection through the signalin g or call in strument, the other through the telephone, substantially as herein shown and set forth.

In testimony whereof I `have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

THOMAS A. WATSON.

Witnesses:

G. W. GREGORY, W. J PRATT. 

